Container closure constructions and methods



R. WALDO March 5, 1963 CONTAINER CLOSURE CONSTRUCTIONS AND METHODS Filed 001;. so, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. ROBERT WALDO ATTORNEY March 5, 1963 R. WALDO 3,080,182

CONTAINER CLOSURE QONSTRUCTIONS AND METHODS Filed Oct. 30. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I llllll illllllzflllll 3 /3 I W& 46 f r4 60 f3 :6 60.67 i" .6 e7 3 I 2 81 I INVENTOR. 9 E ROBERT WALDO A TORNE Y United States Patent 3,080,182 Patented Mar. 5, 1963 3,080,182 CONTAINER {ILGSURE CONSTRUCTIONS AND METHODS Robert Waldo, 2211 Santa Monica, San Antonio, Tex. Filed Oct. 30, 1959, Ser. No. 84,793 1 Claim. (Cl. 285-203) This invention relates to container wall closure combinations and to methods for forming the same and is particularly concerned with flanges or sputs for bordering the openings in steel barrels and drums and combinations of the same with container walls and to methods of effecting such combinations.

At present the flanges, or fittings, for heavy gauge steel containers, such as 12 gauge barrels, are themselves of heavy construction, usually castings or forgings, and are applied to the container walls by welding. These fittings are expensive, their application is time consuming, calls for expensive electrical equipment and for the services of relatively skilled workmen. It is not practical, or economical, to form and apply closure flanges for light weight containers, such as 16 or 18 gauge steel barrels and drums, in such manner. The cost of the flanges, or fittings, would be too high. The equipment needed and power consumed would be too great, and this manner of application would not fit in with the high production speeds employed in manufacturing the great number of these containers produced annually.

Accordingly, highly effective pressed steel flanges have been devised which are applied to openings in container walls by press operations. These normally do a good job, but there are respects in which they leave something to be desired, particularly in the present stage of develop ment of steel drums. One phase of this development has been in providing protective and decorative coatings for the drum Wall exteriors which are applied to the sheets before they are formed into the drums. Another has been the interior coating of the drum sheets so that chemical and food products can be Shipped in the drums without coming into contact with the metal. Then, the reconditioning of drums involving the burning out of their interiors and taking out of dents, refurbishing the closures, if necessary, and redecorating the exteriors has increased very materially.

All of these developments suggest the provision of a flange and method of applying the same which, though the initial application may be made before the drum is fabricated, enables replacement from the exterior should such replacement be necessary in the life of a drum. Furthermore, there has long been sought a flange and manner of securing the same to light weight drums in a quick economical manner without the application of heavy press forces whose effect of distortion of gasket seats and threads must be compensated for in the flange as manufactured. 7

It is the province of the instant invention to overcome the foregoing and other defects of the prior art constructions. In the first place, the invention provides for the application of flanges without deformation of their gasket seats or threads by any action of the container manufacturer in applying the flanges to container walls.

Another important factor is that the flanges of the 1nvention can be applied from the outside of the container once the container is entireiy complete, instead of needing to be applied to a container wall before the container walls are assembled together. As a coroilary to this, the flange of the invention may be removed from the container and replaced by another one if need be, so that should the burning out of the container and reconditioning loosen the flange it can be reapplied, or another one can be applied in place of it, all from the outside of the container. Furthermore, the securing of the flange in place around the container wall calls for only the small amount of pressure needed to assure that a short neck formed around the opening and the receiving seat therefor of the flange are properly mated and are properly joined by a solder layer therebetween. Also the soldering heat is localized so damage to coatings or exterior decorations is guarded against. The manner of preparing the container wall for receiving the flange and the manner of securing the flange in place thereon are simple and are carried out by simple, effective equipment without calling for any particular skill on the part of the workmen.

It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to improve upon flan-ges for containers.

Another object is to improve upon the combinations thereof with container walls.

Another object is to provide improvement in methods for securing closure flanges .tocontainer walls.

A further object is to provide closure flanges and the securing of the same to container walls wherein the gasket seats andthreads are the same after as before the securing has been effected.

A further object is to provide for the removal and replacement of the closure flanges of complete containers without disturbing the containers themselves.

A still further object is to provide for the application of closure flanges to lined, or coated, containers without interfering with linings, or coatings.

Further and more detailed objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing proceeds.

In that drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the flange of the invention per se.

,FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof.

FIG. 3 is an elevation thereof partly in section.

FIG. 4 is a vertical section of a flange in accordance with the invention assembled with a container wall neck, with the mechanism in place ready to efiect the securing of the flange and container well together.

FIG. 5 is a similar view with the flange partly in elevation showing the securing as having been completed.

FIG. 6 is a part elevation, part sectional view of a complete closure in accordance with the invention, with the flange assembled to the container and the plug and cap seal in place.

FIG. 7 ,is a fragmentary sectional view of a slightly modified form of flange and container wall assembly prior to the effecting of the securing.

The new flange of the invention is shown per se in FIGS. 1 and 3. Advantageously it is preferably made of seamless steel tubing with all of the operations being performed on automatic multi station threading and milling machines. Other metals may, of course, be employed when preferred, or to meet particular requirements. Stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, or Monel, are non limiting examples of such metals. ,It can, of course, be made in other ways as desired. Also, though the flange as described and shown herein is pro vided with continuous threads, it is to be understood that discontinuous, or interrupted threads can be employed, or even lugs in place of thread, where the securement of the plug is efiected by cam action.

The interior of the flange, whose generally cylindrical, hollow body is indicated at 1, has the lower portion of its hollow interior screw threaded as shown at 2, preferably having at least three full threads, formed as American Standard straight pipe threads, as commonly used in the closure art. Above the threaded portion the interior of the flange is formed at 3 with a somewhat concaved surface on a relatively long radius forming a seat for the engagement of a plug gasket therewith as appears in FIG. 6. At the upper end of this seat the curve reverses into a convex one, as seen at 4, to provide a rounded bead 5 at the outer end. The bead 5 extends around the top end of the flange to the exterior thereof to a short radiused convexly curved portion 5a which joins with a radially inwardly extending generally flat surface 5b, which may if desired be horizontal though as shown it is provided with a slight downwardly incline for purposes which will appear hereinafter. The surface 5b terminates in a concavely curved short radiused portion 50 which joins with the cylindrical external surface 6 around the flange.

The surface 6 serves for the reception of the skirt of a capseal whose top overlies the flange and whose gasket bridges the space between the bead and the periphery of the plug head, as shown in FIG. 6 and to be further described hereinafter. At the lower end of the cylindrical surface 6 the conical surface 7 extends outwardly to meet the enlarged cylindrical exterior surface 8.

The lower portion, or base, of the flange is split into two annular parts, 9 and 10, by the annular channel 11, which channel extends well up into the body 1 of the flange terminating at its base. This channel is preferably cylindrical and is of a width to receive a cylindrical neck 13 formed up around the opening 14 in the drum' wall 15, as seen in FIGS. 4-6. These parts should form a reasonably close fit so that a solder-like material flowed between them will make a strong, tight, joint.

Another feature of the flange to note is that its portion inwardly of the channel 11 extends downward to its bottom surface 16 below the surface 17 of the portion 9. The downward projection of the portion 10 enables the workman to quickly position the flange on the container wall neck so that they will mate together.

Turning now to the securing of this flange in place on the container about the opening therethrough, the illustration in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawing is that of the securing to the container wall being effected before that wall is assembled with the other parts of the container. It is, of course, to be understood that this is not a limiting illustration, for as already pointed out, securing and replacement of the flanges of the invention with respect to container walls can readily be effected after the container is otherwise completed. In the securing illustrated a suitable member, as shown at 20 is employed for supporting the container wall member from beneath. This member is formed with an opening 21 therethrough, with the upper part thereof being recessed further at 22 to receive an electrical insulating ring 23 preferably of ceramic material. Being ceramic this ring also helps to localize the effective zone of the heat resulting from the induction.

'With the drum wall member 15 seated in place on the support 20 with the opening 14 registered with the opening 21, it is ready to have the flange 1 brought into position to be secured thereto. Prior to this stage, however, and subsequent to the completion of the flange, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, a ring of solder-like material 24 followed by a ring of flux 25, as may be necessary, are pressed into place in the base of the channel 11. These, however, leave ample room in the channel for the reception of the upper end of the neck 13.

Considering now the provision of the solder 24 and the flux25, these elements are suificiently snug in their fit in the channel 11 that they will stay there during the shipment and handling of the flange. Thus they are applied'along with the flange member, leaving nothing for the drum manufacturer to do but to secure the flange in place on the container wall opening. Preassembling the solder with the flange in this manner not only assures accurate control of the quantity of solder, but assures that it is placed in the exact place where it is needed and that the solder is the proper solder for the job. As to the flux element 25, its amount can also, of course, be determined for the assuring of a complete bond of the solder to the adjoining metals. In certain instances flux may not be at all necessary, this the flange manufacturer will know and will position it in place or omit it as required.

When the [term soldering is employed here, it is also understood to be inclusive of the term brazing, though it is believed that even what is generally considered as soft solder will provide a joint of adequate strength in a construction as here set forth. To illustrate, if the fi-t between the collar 13 and the sides of the slot 11 is .001" and the parts are properly soldered together employing soft solder, the shear strength of the joint is in the order of 9,000 pounds per square inch. The shear strength would run up to as high as 125,000 pounds per square inch for silver soldering or brazing. Even if there is a clearance of .004" instead of the .001" just mentioned, the shear strength for soft solder is in the order of 6,000 pounds per squareinch and for the silver solder or brazing material is in the order of 100,000 pounds per square inch. With a neck 13, only A" high for use for securing in place a flange according to the invention having a 2" opening therethrough, the area of the contacting surfaces between the groove 11 and the neck .13 would be approximately 3.5 square inches. Thus, in the weakest situation set forth above, the shear strength of the joint between this flange and the drum stock when properly secured would be approximately 21,000 pounds. This is many times what is needed to make a joint capable of resisting any possibility of shearing in the application or removal of a plug from the flange, at the same time the joint would, of course, be leakproof.

Another important feature of the invention, having in mind the likelihood of the container wall 15 having been coated interiorly to provide a protective barrier between the metal of the drum wall and the contents, is the manner in which the invention provides for the control of the flow of the solder to limit it to the areas between the sides and end of the slot 11 and the neck 13. Depending on the normal range of fit between the flange and the neck, the right amount of solder 24, and suitable flux as needed, can be selected for melting by heat applied in accordance with the invention so that the solder will merely flow into place between the opposed surfaces and none of it will run to the opening of the joint or out of the joint to drip into a finished container.

An additional safeguard against this undesired flow is provided by the extension of the portion 10 of the flange downwa-ndly to a greater extent than the portion 9. With the solder calculated to stay within the height of the portion9 it will, of course, not run as far as the open end of the longer passage between the portion 10 and the neck 13.

The heating to melt the solder and the flange in place on the neck is effected by induction. With the flange 1 seated on the neck 13, as already pointed out, and with the container wall 15 mounted on a suitable support as shown, the head 5 of the flange is engaged by the surface 26 of a suitable pilot member 27 preferably formed of electric insulating ceramic material. The surface 26 is annular and is mated to the head 5 and its inner portion 4 so that as the member 27 pushes down on the flange, it does so in a straight, accurate manner.

The member 27 in turn is carried by a suitable press element including a housing 28 in whose upper part a spring 29 is mounted. This spring acts between the upper surface 30 of the member 27 and the under surface 31 of the housing 28. Actually, the laterally extending flange 3 2 of the member 27 is engaged by the spring while the main reduced portion 33 of the member 27 is slidable in the opening 34 in the bottom wall 35 of the housing 28. The upper Wall 36 of the housing suitably extends into a mounting element 37 to be secured in place in a suitable press.

An induction heating ring 40 of an internal diameter to suitably surround the flange 1 is carried by a plurality of legs 41 extending downwardly from the side wall of the housing 28 and secured thereto as seen at 42. These legs 41 are of electrical insulating material, of which Transite is an example. The ring conductor 40, as is known in the art of induction heating, is preferably in the form of a hollow tube so that water can be flowed through the interior 42 thereof to keep the ring cool. Also, of course, the ring 40 would be suitably formed and with electrical conductors secured thereto in position to complete the circuit.

As is known in the art, the high frequency current for induction heating, can be provided by such means as a motor generator, a spark-gap converter, or a suitable electronic device. The selection of the apparatus for providing the current depends on such things as the weight of material to be heated, the kind of material, the temperature required, the output nature and the depth of the area to be heated. When apparatus properly meeting the requirements is provided it can be setup on a production line and operated like any other machine using semiskilled operators.

Continuing with the securing action as seen in FIG. 4, when pressure has been applied to the flange by pressing down on the housing 28 so that the ceramic pilot 27 has seated the flange down properly on the neck 13, the position of the housing 28, or other means indicating that the ring 40 is properly positioned, will serve to automatically cause the induction ring 40 to be energized. The high frequency current flowing through the ring 40 will melt the solder 24 by inducing current therein as well as melting the flux if necessary. This heating continues as the pilot 27 forces the flange down into the seated position as seen in FIG. 5. Once the proper melting and flowing of the solder has been effected the current is shut off but the pilot 27 continues to exert downward pressure on the flange for a short time to allow the solder to solidify without any movement. Then the member 28 is retracted, carrying the induction ring 46 to a position above the flange 1, whereupon the container wall with the flange properly secured thereto can be removed and the cycle repeated.

As can be seen in FIG. 5, the solder 24 has flowed down the outer side of the neck 13 at 24a and down the inside thereof at 2412. On the outer side it stops at the base of the neck 45 and on the inside at the position 56 approximately in line with the position 45. Also, of course, the base 12 of the channel 11 and the end of the neck 13 are joined by a solder layer 240. Heating of any parts other than in the area to be soldered is minimized by the design and positioning of the ring 40, the control of the current supplied thereto and the use of ceramic member at 27 and 23. If the drum is already complete the support can, of course, be dispensed with.

A complete closure in accordance with the invention is illustrated in FIG. 6. Here a screw plug 50 having a screw threaded side wall 51 is shown as secured in place in the flange 1 with its threads engaged with the threads 2 of the flange. Below its head 52 the plug is recessed at 53 to receive a gasket 54 which is held in place between the under side of the head '52, the base of the recess 53* and the upper surface of the uppermost of the threads 51. This gasket is suitably compressed against the gasket seat 3 of the flange at which point the lower peripheral edge 55 of the plug head engages the inner surface 4 of the head 5 to prevent undue compression of the plug gasket and to back it up by metal all around.

The capsealing of the closure of the invention can be achieved with more effectiveness and with more uniforrnity than has heretofore been the case. This is due to the fact that the surfaces to be engaged by the capseal skirt can be preformed in the forming of the flange so that, like the plug gasket seat 3, exactness and uniformity can be achieved and are not subject to variation by any variation in the flange inserting operation carried out by the drum manufacturer. Furthermore, the capseals and securing of the same will be uniform, regardless of the gauge of metal of the container to which the flange is secured. Thus the crimping tools employed for applying the capseals will all be the same for the same sized opening, eliminating the need for different tools, where the drum stock gauge is different.

For consideration of the structure for achieving the improvements just pointed out attention is directed to the manner in which the head 5 of the flange is contoured into the cylindrical inset surface 6. First, there is the small convex radius 5a where the bead turns into the almost horizontally directed, radially inwardly extending, surface 5b beneath the bead. Then there is the small concave radius 50 where the surface 5b turns into the cylindrical portion 6.

The capseal applied over the closure has a generally disc-like top 56 whose periphery is rounded at 57 to engage the upper part of the bead 5. Below the bead the periphery 57 is formed at 570 into a portion contoured, by the action of a suitable sealing tool, to mate with and lie against the radius 5a, the surface 5b and radius 50. The lower portion of the skirt is seen as being crimped inwardly at 58 into tight engagement with the surface 6 and thus to be the recess formed by that surface with the lower surface 7 and the upper surface 5b. It is also to be noted that the lower end 59 of the skirt 58 comes down so close to the surface 7 that the possibility of getting a tool under the end of the skirt to remove the capseal without destroying it is practically nonexistent.

Cushioning to enable the capseal skirt to be drawn in tightly around the curves 5a and 5c and against the surfaces 5b and 6 is provided by the gasket 60 whose principal function, however, is to bridge the space between the bead 5 and the periphery of the plug head 52 to further seal the opening. In certain instances, however, closing of a container opening can be effected without the use of a plug and merely by the effective securing of a capseal over the flange. In any event the compression of the gasket 60 more tightly than has heretofore been the case, is achieved by the drawing of the skirt portion 57a around the radius 5a inwardly along the surface 5b and around the radius 50. The surface relationship is such as to achieve what amounts to an interlocking of the cap skirt with the recess receiving its portion '58. This importantly increases the holding power of the capseal against disruption, or blowing off due to pressures built up with the container. Additionally, the sharp bends imparted to the seal at the short radiused curves 5a and 50 would prevent the seal being removed and replace without detection. If such removal and replacement were attempted the seal would fracture at the sharp curves. Accordingly, the invention also provides for more effective capsealing than previously achieved, as well as providing for the other advantages already alluded to.

A somewhat modified form of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 7. Here, instead of the solder being carried in the base of the channel 11, a separate channel 61 is formed extending up into the enlarged portion 9 of the flange for sufficient distance to receive a solder ring 62, and flux ring 63 is desired. Here the flange is again seated in place by means of the slightly longer container wall neck 13 engaging the channel 11, but the securing is effected by pressing the flange down until the surface 17 of the portion 9 engages the outer surface of the container wall, whereupon the solder and flux are melted to make a joint with the container wall and, accordingly, effect the securing together of the parts.

Though in the foregoing the preferred and one modi- =fied form of closure flange and combination and the presently preferred manner of carrying out the method have been disclosed, it is to be understood that such disclosure is for illustrative and not for limiting purposes, since one skilled in the art might well modify the structures or method without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Speaking more generally, since certain changes in carrying out the above method and in the construction set forth which embody the invention may be made without departing from its scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the acoompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In container wall closure member combinations, a container wall formed with an opening therethrough and a neck formed integrally from the stock of said container wall bordering said opening and extending directly upwardly from said wall, a closure flange assembled with said container wall and overlying said neck, said closure flange being formed as a substantially tubular member, the lower end of said closure flange being formed with an annular channel extending upwardly thereinto, said neck being seated in said channel and conforming substantially to the contour of the same, said channel dividing said lower end of said flange into concentric inner and outer portions, the radial extent of each of said inner and outer portions being materially greater than that 8 of said channel, said inner portion overlying the interior of said neck to at least the axial extent of said outer portion, the bottom face of said outer portion of said lower end at -a position spaced radially outwardly with respect to said channel being formed with an annular groove extending therethrough up into the body of said outer portion, said groove being independent of said channel, a fusible adhesive material filling said groove, engaging said container wall and securing said closure flange in place on said neck, whereby said closure flange can be applied to said container wall from the outside after said container is otherwise completed and may be removed and replaced without damaging said container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,604,531 Murray Oct. 26, 1926 1,648,026 Murray Nov. 8, 1927 1,662,068 -Ironside Mar. 13, 1928 2,137,999 Curtis Nov. 29, 1938 2,149,906 Bell Mar. 7, 1939 2,241,562 Wackman May 13, 1941 2,245,298 Proctor June 10, 1941 2,328,696 Voglesong Sept. 7, 1943 2,352,754 Anderson et al. July 4, 1944 2,760,671 Parish Aug. 28, 1956 2,773,301 Karmazin Dec. 11, 1956 

